Transfer of knitted fabrics



June 9, 1925. A 1,541,547 L. N. D. WILLIAMS NSFER OF KNITTED FABRI Filed Feb. 2s 1923 2I eeeee s; heef 1 FIG. I.

WITNESS'IEQS' v IN VEN TOR:

June 9,y 1925. l 1,541,547 1.- v 1- L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRANSFER 0F KNITTED FABRICS Filed Feb. 25, 1923 `2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG. I/' L t 4/" /55 gz A L L 515 f' 7 L //f39 59 11W-- L f/ a7 55 37 l .21 .5C

*I IIL/VE/Tolk:v LoazsjH/Zgms ATTORNEYS.

PATENT TRANSFER OF KNITTED FABRICS. i

Application IedFSbrnary 23, i923. Serial No. 520,588.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Louis N. D. WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ogontz, county of l/Iontgomery, and

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transfer of Knitted Fabrics, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the transfer of knitted fabrics as practised, for example in connection with the manufacture of hosiery, in running on of ribbed tops of half-hose upon the needles of machines known as footers7 for the purpose of knitting the leg and foot portions of the stockings in prolongation. My invention is concerned both with a novel method of accomplishing such transfer, and with mechanism or appa- "30 ratus especially adapted to the performance of such method, and has for its lmain object, to obviate the necessity for reliance upon special skilled labor as required heretofore on account of theprecise and tedious manipulations involved in avoiding drop? ping of stitches. rlhe latter contingency if allowed to take place, results, as is well known to those schooled in the art of stocking manufacture, in production of imperfect stockings which are classed as seconds and saleable only at reduced prices. The severalf diliiculties just pointed out I entirely overV come, and by my invention am able to effect the transfer operation not only speedily, but with absolute precision to the advantage of greater economy in manufacturing. As wi'll hereinafter appear, the process characteristic of my invention is susceptible to varia- I tion, and this is also true of the transfer 40 mechanism employed* @ther objects and attendant advantages of my invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In the drawings, Figs. I, II and III are fragmentary sectional views of a mechanism conveniently embodying my invention in one form, and showing successive steps in the transfer operation.

Fig. IV shows an alternative form of mechanism useful for the same purpose; and

Figs. V, VI and VII are views corresponding to Figs. I, II and III of still another modified form of transfer mechanism which may be used in carrying out my improved process or method.

Referring first to the type of my invention shown in Figs. I to III inclusive it is to'be observed that I employ a means, comprehensively indicated at l, for temporarily G0 holding the knitted fabric while the stitches are being impaled upon the needles of the knitting machine to which the fabric is t0 be transferred. The means l may take any suitable form dependingupon the type of machine with which itis to be used. In the present instance, the same is shown as annular in form for use with circular knitting machines such as yordinarily employed in hosiery manufacture. Brieiiy described, this means consists of a ring frame 2 suitably shouldered as at 8 for the abutment of the upper or anchorage ends of the stitch holding quills or points 4L. Said quills have lateral extensions 5 so that they may be se-l curely fixed in place on the ring by a flanged annulus 6 securable in any approved manner. The lower projecting ends of the quills are slotted or iiuted as at 7 so as to be capable of accommodating the hooks of the knitting needles 8 of the machine to which transfer is to be made. There is ofcourse anv individual quill provided for each needle; and `the structure 1, it rwill be noted, is supported solely by virtue of shoulders formed as the result of partial fluting of the quills as previously described. The points or quills are furthermore tapered as at 9 to facilitate, during application of the fabric, openingor dilation of the loops which I will hereinafter refer to simply as stitches and designate in the drawings by the letter m. In order that the stitches may be properly aligned about the series of quills, the latter are provided with stop shoulders indicated at l0 which ,cooperate in bringing about this condition. Mounting of the fabric upon the temporary holding means l may be accomplished `manually, or said means may vbe employed in receiving the fabric from a knitting machine by which it is produced, and then placed upon the needles 8 of the machine for appendage of knitting of a different character from the first. The proportioning of the quills, it 100 will be noted, is such that the stitches occupy a position slightly below the plane of the needle hooks after application of the holding means to the knitting machine.

Fory the purpose of insuring positive engagement of the needle hooks with the stitches while the latter are held in a dilated condition by the quills or points 4, 1 provide for subsequent relative lateral movement of the stitches and the needles. In the instance under consideration, this relation is brought about by lateral flexure of the needles, and the instrumentalities for effecting such shifting is shown as associated with the needle actuating mechanism of the knitting machine. l/Vithin each guide groove 11 of the needle cylinder 12, together with a needle 8, is placed an actuating element 13 which for convenience l will term a distending jack.v This element is capable of being shifted independently of the needle and may be actuated in any convenient way, forexample as by cams 14 operative upon the jack butts, and. preferably disposed superjacent the cams 15 which ordinarily actuate the needles in knitting. The upper ends of the jacks are retroverted as at 16, and `theY turned portions normally lie within recesses 17 formed in the needle grooves. 1n beingshifted upwardly by the cams 14, the rounded tops of the jacks 13, by cooperation with in'clines 13`of'the recesses 17, act after the' manner ofwedges to shift the upper ends of the needles -laterally outward so that their hoolrs are thereby positioned to overlie theouter' runs of the stitches 09 on. the quillsy of the holding element 1. From the above itwillbe seen that after the stitches have. been impaled upon the needles of the knittingl machine to which the knitted fabric isv to be applied, the needles may be laterally moved yso that the stitches are positively retained within the needle hooks when the holding means 1 is bodily withdrawn, and thus incidentally stripped from ,the quills 4.

Referring now to the type of'my invention shown'in Fig. 1V the relative positioning ofthe needles and the stitches for positive stitch retainment after the latter have been impaledupon said needles, is eil'ectcd in a manner conversely to that previously described; in other words, instead of movingthe needles within the dilated stitches as before. l here move the stitches relative tothe needles. The mechanism by which this is accomplished is entirely self-contained, and comprises. an annular mount-ing frame 2O formed at its lower end with a projecting annular flange head 21, said head .being slotted about its periphery as indicatedat 22 to receive the quills 23. Said quills have laterally projecting butts 24 which prevent vertical displacement through engagement within-'a eireiunferential groovel or slot'25 of the head 21. The quills are that the quills may beI rocked within the Y slots 22 and to this end their tops are rounded as at 23 for cooperation with a circumferential cam surface 29 of a sleeve 30 which is slidable on the frame 20, the latter being provided with a diametrical cross-bar 31 capable of being grasped in effecting its operation. The cross-bar 31 traverses slots 32 in the wall of the frame 2O which thus limit the vertical movement of the sleeve. ln addition to the taper characterizing the lower end of the quills, the latter are provided with recesses or notches 33 for engaging the stitches, said notches being initially functional in a manner similar to the shoulders 10 in the iirst described embodiment of my invention but serving in the additional capacity of engaging the stitches so that they are compelled to follow movement of the quills. In operation, as the -sleeve 30 is depressed, the quills 23 will be rocked about the corners 34 at the lower ends of their retaining slots, the springs 26- yielding to permit such motion, and the projections 24 acting at the same time to prevent vertical displacement. result in bringing the stitches :n beneath the needle hoolrs so that the holding vdevice may be bodily removed as before leaving the needles stitches positively engaged in the needle hooks.

Such movement will Coming now to the last modiicatimi` shown in Figs. V, Vl and VH', the holding means is generally similar tof-the type just described in that it comprises a frame 35 headed at its lower end as at 36 for retainment' of the quills 37 instance held in dplace against'movement by an insertv annulus 33. llt is to vbe especiallyr noted that the quills are iluted or slotted throughout in this case, andv that within each is guided a slide 39 having at its upper end a laterally turnedbutt 4t)- adapted 'to engage in a groove 41 formed in a circumferential'enlargement at the lower end of a sleeve 42 which is slidable vertically upon the frame 35.#Said'sleeve is provided with a grasp bar 44, andis operable in amanner similar'to that described of the sleeve 30 of the previous modification, movement being limited by the guide slots 45 in the frame 35. rllhe lower ends of the slides .39 are reduced and chamfercd as at 46 so as to be capable when depressed, of engaging behind the needle hooksl to caus outward movement or fleXu-re of the needles whereby the hooks are positioned to o-verlie the outer runs of the'stitch'es a arrested upon the quills. The position of the parts just describedlis clearly shown in Fig. V1"- which are in this from which it will be apparent that the temporary holding means may be bodily Withdrawn vertically leaving the fabric positively engaged with the needles as shown in Fig. VH.

In conclusion, it will be seen that in each instance, the fabric stitches are maintained in an open or dilated condition by the quills of the holding means, andv in this condition impaled upon the needles of the machine to which the fabric is transferred. The stitches and the needles are thereupon relatively moved so as to insure engagement of the stitches beneath the needle hooks as the temporary holding means is Withdrawn.'- lach stitch is thereby positively engaged so that stitch dropping cannot possibly talle place, thus enabling thev transfer to be accomplished speedily and Without requiring any special skill or dexterity on the part of the operative.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

l. rlhe method of transferring knitted fabrics which consists'in impaling the fabric stitches upon the needles of a knitting machine, and then shifting the stitches and needles relatively to insure engagement of the stitches Within the needle hooks.

2. rlhe method of transferring .knit fabrics Which consists in impaling the fabric stitches, While maintained in a dilated condition, upon the needles of a knitting machine, then shifting the dilated stitches and needles relatively to insure engagement of the stitches Within the needle hooks.

3. rlhe method of transferring knit fabrics Which consists in impaling the fabric stitches, While maintained in a dilated condition, upon the needles of a knitting machine., thence shifting the needles laterally Within the dilated stitches to insure engagement of the stitches Within the needle hooks.

'4. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and means for subsequently moving the stitches and the needles relatively to engage the stitchesy under the needle hooks for positive retain` nent of the fabric when the holding means is Withdrawn.

5. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and means foi` subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retaimnent of the fabric When the holding means is Withdrawn.

6. Mechanism for transferring tubular knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a circular knitting machine, and means for subsequently spreading the circle of needles to position the needle hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retaimnent of the fabric When the holding means is Withdrawn.

7 Mechanism for transferring `knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latterl are impaled upon the needles y of a knitting machine, and means carried by the guide vsupport for the needle for subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment of the fabric when the holding means is withdrawn.

8. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding f the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles ofv a knitting machine, and means associated With the needle actuating instrumentalities of the machine for subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment of the fabric When the holding means is Withdrawn.

9. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and means operative inA the guide grooves with the needles for subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment of the fabric when the holding means is Withdrawn.

10. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and means individually associated with the needles for subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment of the fabric when the holding means is Withdrawn.

l1. Mechanism for transferring knitted( fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles f a knitting machine, and means individually associated with each needle and independently slidable in the needle guide grooves for subsequently moving the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment o f the fabric When the holding means is Withdrawn.

12. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and Wedge means operative behindy the needles in the guide grooves for the latter for subsequently movingl the needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainment of the fabric when the holding means is Withdrawn.

13. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including inv combination, means for temporarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, and individual jacks mounted with the ieedles in the guide grooves for the latter and-serving by cooperation with inclined surfaces, as Wedges for subsequently movingthe needles laterally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for positive retainmentvof the fabric Whenfvthe holding means is- Withdrawn.

14:. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, mea-ns for tempcrarily holding the fabric stitches While the latter are impaled upon the needles of a knitting machine, individual jacks mounted with the needles in the guide grooves for the latter and serving by cooperation With inclined surfaces, as Wedges for subsequently moving the needles lat-V erally to position their hooks over the fabric stitches for posit-ive` rctainment of the fabric` lWhen the holdin@ means is Withdrawn, and

cams associated with the .needle actuating instrumentalities for shifting the Jacks 1ndependently of the needles to bring about lateral displacement of the latter as aforesaid.

15. Mechanism for transferring knitted fabrics including in combination, means for` -temporarily holding the fabric stitches LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS. lVitnesses:

JAMns H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

